Chapter 495: Lu Xiaoji, You’re Getting Cocky!

“Lu Xiaoji, you’re getting cocky!” Hua Manlou said with a smile from the side.

However, Hua Manlou could also understand; after all, their journey so far had been too smooth.

“I’ve already reached the Spirit Travel Realm, can’t I be a little cocky?” Lu Xiaofeng replied smugly to Hua Manlou.

“It’s as if you’re the only one in the Spirit Travel Realm,” Chu Liuxiang gently fanned himself with his folding fan, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mockery.

Lu Xiaofeng raised an eyebrow, about to retort, when he saw several dark shadows suddenly flash across the distant sea surface. They appeared and vanished so quickly that it was impossible to confirm their location.

“Dongying Ninjas? Here to scout for information?” Chu Liuxiang asked in surprise.

Although Dongying Ninjas were mysterious, for those of them in the Spirit Travel Realm, they didn’t even need their eyes to see; wherever those ninjas went, they were completely exposed before them.

Li Xunhuan stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the sea breeze. His gaze swept over those fleeting dark shadows, and his tone was as cold as ice: “Those who hide their heads and tails dare to show off their meager skills in front of us.”

Before his voice faded, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. To him, those spies hidden in the darkness were no different from targets on a shooting range. His fingers, which were fiddling with the Flying Dagger, moved slightly, and the Flying Dagger shot through the air like a meteor chasing the moon.

“Ah!” Three screams suddenly rang out, and immediately, three black shadows fell from a height, dead on the spot.

It turned out that although Li Xunhuan had only thrown one Flying Dagger, it pierced through all three. None of the three hidden ninjas could escape.

“Although those ninjas have excellent concealment skills, in the face of absolute strength, any disguise is futile. Their aura fluctuations, though faint, cannot escape the perception of us experts in the Spirit Travel Realm. It seems the Dongying side is out of tricks and can only send some small fry to test the waters,” Hua Manlou stated.

As soon as he finished speaking, a strange ripple suddenly stirred on the distant sea surface. Three black shadows slid like ghosts clinging to the crests of the waves, their short blades gleaming with a faint blue cold light under the moonlight, rushing straight toward the main mast of the flagship.

A sharp light flashed in Lu Xiaofeng’s eyes, and his Lingxi Finger struck out suddenly. Two fingers moved as fast as lightning, firmly clamping down on the incoming short blade mid-air. With a crisp ‘ding,’ the short blade snapped.

Then, Lu Xiaofeng swept the hand holding the short blade, directly slashing across the throat of that shadow.

The ninja’s eyes were filled with disbelief as his body went limp and fell, blood rapidly spreading across the deck.

Chu Liuxiang lightly tapped his folding fan, swatting away another black shadow attempting a flank attack. The person hit the mast, spat blood, and was clearly beyond saving.

Ye Gucheng hadn’t moved, but his sword had, at some unknown point, been drawn and sheathed again. A thin line of blood slowly appeared on the neck of the ninja before him, and then he collapsed into a puddle of mush on the ground.

In just a few breaths, the attacking ninjas were completely annihilated. The shore returned to calm, as if the recent danger had been nothing more than an illusion.

Lu Xiaofeng shook his fingers, a hint of pride on his face: “How about that, Hua Manlou, my skills aren’t bad, are they? Dealing with these small fry takes no effort at all.”

“Yes, yes, Great Hero Lu’s divine skill is unmatched,” Hua Manlou chuckled and shook his head.

However, just as Hua Manlou finished speaking, they heard another ‘puchi’ sound—someone else had apparently been killed.

Everyone looked over, only to see a hidden ninja not far from them. This ninja, however, was now spitting blood and lying dead on the ground.

This still gave everyone a significant shock! So many of them in the Spirit Travel Realm had failed to notice that person!

This ninja had clearly been discovered and silently eliminated by Yu Xian!

Lu Xiaofeng instantly blushed. He had just been gloating over easily dispatching the ninjas, only to turn around and find a straggler being dealt with silently by Yu Xian right under his nose.

This contrast instantly washed away all his earlier pride, like a basin of cold water being dumped over his head. His previous arrogance subsided considerably, and he scratched his head, falling silent sheepishly.

“See if you’re still showing off. I told you Dongying ninjas use bizarre methods, excelling at concealment and sneak attacks; you must not let your guard down. Those few earlier were just appetizers; the truly formidable ones are still coming.”

Hua Manlou’s gentle voice carried a hint of warning as his gaze swept over everyone. “Though we possess the cultivation of the Spirit Travel Realm, Dongying has been established for many years and must have stronger countermeasures. A slight carelessness could lead to us suffering losses.”

“Brother Hua speaks the absolute truth. These ninjas’ stealth techniques indeed have some merit. If Young Master hadn’t acted on that straggler just now, he probably would have succeeded. It seems we must be more vigilant moving forward and not give them any further opportunity,” Chu Liuxiang put away his folding fan, and the mockery on his face receded slightly.

Li Xunhuan also nodded, gently spinning the Flying Dagger in his hand. “The land of Dongying is full of hidden masters, and perhaps there are strong individuals we haven’t anticipated. We absolutely must not be careless in this campaign.”

Upon hearing this, everyone set aside their earlier complacency, and their expressions turned solemn.

“We have the Young Master! Even if we are outmatched, with the Young Master and the Immortal Master here, the enemy won’t have an easy time. Furthermore, with so many Spirit Travel Realm masters gathered here, joining forces, even if Dongying has some hidden trump cards, they might not gain the upper hand,” Lu Xiaofeng quickly adjusted his mindset and patted his chest.

However, his tone lacked the previous flamboyance and carried more conviction in Yu Xian.

“The Young Master plans everything strategically. We just need to follow the plan, advance step by step, and we will surely pacify the land of Dongying completely, restoring peace to the coastal regions of the Central Plains,” Hua Manlou continued.

Hearing this, everyone’s spirits lifted. The slight gloom caused by the escaped ninja vanished, and their gazes turned back toward the direction of Edo City, filled with resolute Battle Intent.

“These few youngsters are getting more and more interesting,” Zhang Sanfeng looked at Xiao Feng and the others with great appreciation.

On the ship’s deck, Zhang Sanfeng and Wuming were drinking tea together. They hadn’t left the ship from beginning to end, but everything on the shore was clearly visible to them.

“It’s good for young people to have spirit, but the ability to quickly temper one’s Heart-Nature and maintain a sense of awe after being frustrated is even more precious. Yu Xian not only possesses unfathomable personal cultivation but can also command the respect of these proud top-tier masters. His future achievements are limitless,” Wuming gazed into the distance with profound eyes.

Hearing this, Zhang Sanfeng laughed heartily, took a sip of his tea, his eyes filled with relief: “Yes, with these juniors around, the future of the Central Plains is secure. We can simply wait here for their triumphant return.”

Yu Xian’s arrangement was for the two of them to guard the rear. With so many ships, if the enemy bypassed them and set them ablaze, the loss would be catastrophic.